Enel CEO says not interested in discussing possibility of single network firm

"We are very busy connecting Italy and that is the mission of Open Fiber... We are not interested in talking about it (the possibility of a single network company), it is not an exciting topic for us," Starace.REUTERS | September 01, 2017, 17:48 IST

CERNOBBIO: Italy's top utility Enel is not interested in discussing merging its fiber-optic infrastructure business with that of Telecom Italia to create a single network company, CEO Francesco Starace said on Friday.

Open Fiber, controlled by utility Enel and state lender Cassa Depositi e Prestiti, and Telecom Italia are building separate fast internet networks across Italy. Some politicians in Rome as well as industry players have said it might make sense for them to join forces.

"We are very busy connecting Italy and that is the mission of Open Fiber... We are not interested in talking about it (the possibility of a single network company), it is not an exciting topic for us," Starace told reporters on the sidelines of the Ambrosetti business forum. He also rejected speculation about a possible management reshuffle at Open Fiber.

Open Fiber would be in good position to buy the copper network of phone incumbent Telecom Italia if it were put up for sale, the chairman of the fibre-optic company Franco Bassanini said in a newspaper interview last month.

Several people ET spoke with about Ericsson’s India operations, including its current and former employees, said the Stockholm-based firm has reduced headcount in the last one year or so across functions, in line with its global restructuring.